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Campaign Leadership Team
Jodi Tymeson – State Chair
State Representative Jodi Tymeson is a former teacher and retired Army National Guard Brigadier General. She retired in October 2007 after 33 years of military service.
Born in Boone County, Jodi was raised on a Century Farm near Ogden. She graduated from Ogden High School in 1973. She earned a B.A. degree in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree in public administration from Drake University. Jodi is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University’s JFK School of Government.
Jodi enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard in 1974 and spent eight years as an enlisted soldier. She was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1982. She served in many positions to include platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander, troop command commander and assistant adjutant general.
Jodi spent four years teaching sixth grade and four years as a substitute teacher. She is still licensed to substitute.
Jodi was first elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2000 and is serving her fifth term. She chaired the House Education Committee for four years, served as Ranking Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and Ranking Member, House Administration and Rules Committee. During her 10 years of service in the Iowa House, she served on several committees and was instrumental in the passage of Iowa’s Safe Haven Law and Iowa’s law against human trafficking.
She and her husband, John, now reside in Madison County near Winterset. John is retired after 34 years of military service. They have two adult daughters.
Richard Johnson – Co-Chair
Richard D. Johnson served 23 years as the Auditor of State before retiring in 2003. Mr. Johnson received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Drake University, beginning his public service as the Sheldahl City Clerk in 1959. In 1964, Mr. Johnson began 11 years of service as the Mayor of Sheldahl, and went on to become the Director of Finance for the Department of Transportation’s Administration Division and the Director of the Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicles Division.
Mr. Johnson was appointed to the position of Auditor of State in 1979 by Governor Ray and went on to become a six-time winner of statewide office, never losing an election.
Richard Johnson was the President of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers, and the first Iowan to serve as a member of the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of CPAs. He was also commissioned by the U.S. Department of State to help develop accounting and financial systems in new democracies in the former Soviet Union.
In Senate Resolution 155, Richard Johnson was recognized as a man of unwavering integrity, having “earned the respect of persons of both parties for his political courage and his lack of partisanship.”
Keith Ratliff – Co-Chair
The Reverend Keith A. Ratliff Sr. is the pastor of the Maple Street Missionary Baptist Church and president of the Iowa/Nebraska Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Ratliff, who has been in the ministry more than 31 years and been a pastor for more than 29 years, is involved in numerous social and community causes. He is the state historian for the Iowa Missionary and Educational Baptist State Convention and Affiliated Churches. His church opened Joshua Christian Academy in the fall of 2009 to provide parents and students with the option of Christ-centered education in Des Moines’ inner city.
Ratliff also is a national board member with the NAACP, which is the nation’s oldest and most respected civil rights organization. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Simpson College in History/Education and earned his master’s degree from Drake University in religious leadership. He recently retired as a senior engineering analyst at John Deere Des Moines Works, where he has worked for 33 years.
Ratliff and wife Deborah have been married for 31 years and have five children. He has been the recipient of numerous honors for his community service, including the Des Moines Area Religious Council Interfaith Service Award, Fraternity Omega’s Citizen of the Year Award, Des Moines Human Rights Commission Award, Black Ministerial Alliance Community Service Award and induction into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame in December, 2003. The City of Des Moines proclaimed April 17, 1994 as “Rev. Keith A. Ratliff, Sr. Day” and he was awarded the key to the City of Des Moines.
Bernie Saggau – Co-Chair
Bernie Saggau was appointed Assistant Executive Director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association October 14, 1963, and was appointed to the position of Executive Director, September 9, 1967, a position he held until his retirement, January 1, 2005.
Bernie’s background consists of being a teacher, coach, principal and business man. He is past president of the National Federation of State High School Associations. He was the Chairperson for the National Basketball Rules Committee for eight years and served on the Football Rules Committee for 25 years. He served on the United States Olympic House of Delegates Committee. Mr. Saggau was a recipient of the National High School Coaches Distinguished Award. He currently is a trustee of Buena Vista University. As a hobby, Bernie has refereed high school and college basketball and football games for 30 years.
The Board of Control of the Iowa High School Athletic Association, in 1989, established an award in his name. This award honors an outstanding citizen athlete (boy or girl) in every one of the 400 high school in the state of Iowa and each winner receives a beautiful plaque in his name.
Mr. Saggau was presented the Award of Merit from the National High School Athletic Directors Association, the highest honor presented to one individual each year. In 1996 he was selected as one of the top 20 individuals in the last 20 years to do the most for improving officiating in our country by Referee magazine.
Mr. Saggau most recently received the American Tradition Award; only the second individual to receive this prestigious award.
Mr. Saggau’s vision, the signature of his career, was of a $13 million dollar, 26,000 square feet, Hall of Pride which officially opened in February 2005 in Des Moines, Iowa.
